It’s not really surprising that suave, handsome Englishman Jude Law would book a role in a James Bond-esque spy flick. But it’s something of an unexpected delight to hear that he’s been cast in this particular James Bond-esque spy flick.

Law is joining Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham in Susan Cooper, the next comedy from Bridesmaids and The Heat helmer Paul Feig. More details after the jump.

Briefly:Jason Statham is best known as an action guy, but some of his earliest roles had a heavy touch of comedy to them. He was good at it, too — the very charisma that makes him bankable as an action star has its roots in those partially comic roles. I’m surprised he’s been away from explicitly comic work for a while, though there’s no doubt that many of his action films have a definite undercurrent of humor; it’s just not as thick as you’ll find in, say, Snatch.

Now Statham is in talks for a supporting role in Susan Cooper, the film that will re-team Bridesmaids and The Heat director Paul Feig and star Melissa McCarthy. She’ll be “a bumbling secret agent” and he’ll be a spy on her side of the national fence. Which probably means he’ll be the straight man, which is a role he’ll be very ably equipped to play. [Deadline]

A Bridesmaids sequel isn’t in the cards, but a Bridesmaids reunion could be. Rose Byrne has entered talks to re-team with her Bridesmaids co-star Melissa McCarthy and Bridesmaids director Paul Feig on Susan Cooper, a potential comedy franchise about a female James Bond type. More details on the upcoming project after the jump.

Over the past couple of years, Paul Feig has demonstrated an affinity for female-led comedies in general, and female-led comedies starring Melissa McCarthy in particular. The Mike & Molly star was the breakout of Feig’s Bridesmaids, and she drew raves once again in this year’s The Heat. Now the pair are looking to team a third time, for the James Bond-inspired comedy Susan Cooper. Hit the jump to get details on the new project.

When Bridesmaids scored big at the box office, we wondered whether it’d open the floodgates for other funny women. It turns out we may have been thinking too broadly. Female-centric comedies in general are still all too rare at the multiplex, but female-centric comedies involving Paul Feig are a different story.

Feig chose to follow up the $288 million success of Bridesmaids with another lady-led laffer, the Sandra Bullock-Melissa McCarthy buddy-cop pic The Heat, and now he’s working on yet another. His newest effort is Susan Cooper, about a female James Bond type. Hit the jump for all the details.